Wednesday 31 December 2014

Scratching Out 2014


The last days of 2014
like the tides of time!


I've been stitching pebbles onto canvas
for a couple of paintings I have to do.


This year's Christmas Eve stocking is pinkish
in honour of Ashley Rose
who suddenly discovered she could string noises together
and converse with us over Face Time!
Brett arrived for a few days rest in our woods.


I always seem to do a Christmas Day star.
This one is dancing.


Some of my mother's paper piecing 
for this family time of the year.


Brett left after what must have been a very quiet week for a city boy!
And so another year of scratching comes to an end.
That is three years now.

Wednesday 24 December 2014

Tuesday 23 December 2014

Homeward Bound


Chugging back up the Basin
Coming home after a night's fishing.


Leaving their night's safe place
and on the lookout for breakfast
they paddled away from 
my dangerous Rusty Pups
diving intermittently as they went.

Mmmm....think I'll go home for my own breakfast.

Monday 22 December 2014

Stitching Paths on Scraps Full of Memories


Is it not amazing
how a tiny scrap of forgotten cloth 
rediscovered
can evoke memories of times gone by.


So this week the scraps from the studio floor
had me thinking of times gone by


of stitches as footprints


of paths
sometimes running parallel
and sometimes crossing.

Wednesday 17 December 2014

Rusty Pups


Our constant companions
Devoted to us as we are devoted to them
Exercisers
Feet warmers in the winter months
Face lickers
One Expert catcher of tennis balls
One expert at scratching her back on grass and snow
Guardians of our woods
Squirrel chasers...actually chasers of anything that moves
Barking announcers of visitors
Mud seekers
Source of serious dust bunnies in this house
Creators of dirty nose prints on clean windows
and much much more


So grateful am I

Tuesday 16 December 2014

Daily Routines


We walk down the Basin in the early morning light
until I say it is time to turn around and go home.
As soon as we turn
The Rusty Pups routine is to start playing


some kind of game of ambush.
One has to try and get past the other.


but it usually ends in a mighty clash
of mouths and wagging tails.

As we approach Annapolis Royal
the RP's energy has usually waned
and if it is around eight oclock
I know the Tai Chi group will be gathering
way over to the left on the jetty
for their early morning routine.

Monday 15 December 2014

Scratching Studio Debris


Perhaps my biological clock has gone awry
I am still sorting and resorting the studio
Isn't that what we do in Spring.


The energy is building up
towards a brand new year


My stash still holds scraps of childhood memories.


Even the drawers full of threads are being reorganized.


One scrap became a Christmassy tree.

Tuesday 9 December 2014

Collections


The windowsills in the studio
are usually full of bowls that are full of bits and pieces.
 All that will be left on the windowsills for 2015
are small collections
of bits and pieces from my woods


or from the shore...
....sometimes from foreign shores.


Just natural bits and pieces I have picked up over the years.


Admittedly some are man-made


but they have spent a long time in the elements.

Monday 8 December 2014

December Scratchings


Another year is coming to an end soon
Oh my goodness me


The rusty pups and I were treated to a
a dancing cloud of birds swirling around us
on our Monday morning walk.
To our surprise
on Tuesday we disturbed a heron
what is he doing still here in the wintry north?
Later that morning I went off to
Tai Chi.


This week I am preparing the studio for a new year.
Every scrap and every thread
is being checked.
If it doesn't fit into my plans for a new series in 2015
it is being packed up and stored.
I want to focus and reduce my chances of distractions.
Even as I handle each piece of cloth
I am sorely tempted to stop sorting and start working.
For us tactile people
it should be no surprise that a simple scrap of cotton or silk or wool
can get our creative juices flowing.
As I pick up bits and piece of cloth I remember how certain pieces
have actually influenced my development as an artist.
It is not easy to pack those away.


Still sorting out the studio
but wrapping Christmas parcels took precedence on Saturday.


Still sorting
but after the RP's and I walked the slushy, icy mountain.

The textures in this week's scratchings are wonderful.
Three layers of heavily stitched scraps from the studio cleanup
are a pleasure to touch.

I am excited at the clearing of the studio.
Just holding onto what I plan to work with next year.
As I clean
ideas and plans for new work
are becoming clearer.

Wednesday 3 December 2014

There is Always Something That Inspires on Those Morning Walks


The grasses are slipping into Winter hibernation


Waves of autumnal colour
warm the cooling landscape.


Some grasses have been flattened by the rains


Others still manage to stand tall.
A grassy piece is on my to do list
in the studio.


Tuesday 2 December 2014

Klee Inspired Scratchings


Another Paul Klee drawing


inspired my scratchings


for last week


Thank goodness things are turning back to normal
and perhaps 
my scratchings will too!

Monday 1 December 2014

Imitation Scratchings


Do you know the drawings of Paul Klee?


Since I've been laid up at home
I've been dipping into his diaries


Last time we got together
Judy told me I would find him interesting
and I do.